Spellcoiler
A 2 mana 2/3 that discovers a spell is strong. The condition shouldn’t be hard to activate in the Mage class, and Spellcoiler becomes particularly strong in the opening hand when having the coin. The additional synergies in the set, especially with Spitelash Siren, should consolidate it as a core card in the class going forward.
Score: 3
Azsharan Sweeper
We wouldn’t be too thrilled about a Spider Tank with some sunken synergy bonus if the dredge card available to the Mage Mech archetype wasn’t as good as it is (Trench Surveyor). Azsharan Sweeper is probably a likely reload card in the deck and helps fill up the Mech quota. We wouldn’t touch this card outside of the specific tribal deck.
Score: 2
Mecha-Shark
Flamewaker for Mechs. Mecha-Shark deals 1 extra damage for the obviously much more limited pool of activators. We would be extremely high on this card if Mechwarper was in the Core set, but Seafloor Gateway will have to do as its primary enabler. This gives Mech Mage comeback potential and a snowballing pseudo-finisher. If the archetype ends up competitive, this is probably its strongest card.
Score: 3
Gifts of Azshara
Drawing 2 cards for 2 mana is a very good deal, and Gifts works extremely well with the support the Naga tribe has been given in the Mage class. Great draw engine for Spitelash Siren specifically to keep the chain going. The only weakness of Gifts of Azshara is that it’s unlikely to be a good draw early, but this is the kind of card that encourages different Mage decks to sprinkle some Naga minions.
Score: 3
Trench Surveyor
This 2-drop draws every time in a dedicated Mech Mage deck, which is strong for a 3/2. Works particularly well with Azsharan Sweeper and makes that card much better. Could be an inclusion in other Mage decks, though sunken synergies are focused on the Mech tribe in the class.
Score: 3
Seafloor Gateway
Palm Reading for Mech Mage. This card is the primary enabler of Mecha-Shark and gives Mech Mage some mid-game explosiveness. We can also see this card acting as a specific mech tutor in a non-tribal Mage deck, but the 3-mana cost makes it quite expensive. You want the hand discount to matter unless the tutor target is a game changer.
Score: 3
Volcanomancy
3 damage AOE for 2 is quite strong, but obviously it needs to be paired with another action to activate, which is a major issue. Mage has cheap spells it can use to kill the minion and proc the AOE, including its hero power. Note that this can work on a friendly minion too, which makes it more flexible. Seems like a good card against decks that go wide with tokens, or other aggressive decks looking for early game initiative. Playing this on an early game minion will discourage the opponent’s development without activating, which seems highly annoying. We’ll give it a chance, even though it seems a bit situational.
Score: 2
Spitelash Siren
This might be one of the most exciting cards of the entire set, and changes how we think about the Naga tribe in the Mage class. While it only refreshes mana crystals rather than gaining them, the combo potential that can occur as early as turn 5-6 is very enticing. With cheap spells, we can potentially keep the Siren chain going until our board is completely full of Naga minions. Siren is the kind of card that can become the central focus of an entirely new strategy and help the class quickly churn through its deck into some win condition with inevitability. Reminds us of Stealer of Souls. Spooky.
Score: 4
Commander Sivara
Sivara offers strong reload for a Naga Mage deck but would have seemed difficult to activate if not for Spitelash Siren. With the Siren available, Sivara extends the potential combo chain much more. It’s also a reasonable addition for decks that run crucial spell pieces they would like to replicate, but we believe it’s far weaker outside of a dedicated Naga deck with Siren in it. We believe in the Siren, so we believe in Sivara.
Score: 3
Gaia, the Tectonic
Gaia can be viewed from two lenses. The first is a top end finisher in a Mech Mage deck. If you ever have mechs on board and play Gaia, the opponent is going to be destroyed by the damage potential of its persistent ability. On an empty board, it’s still somewhat useful as a comeback card, dealing 2 damage to all enemies upon entrance if Gaia’s Drills have something to rush into. In that role, it could end up in a defensive Mage deck looking to survive, such as Wildfire or Amulet Mage, which are light on spells and would like some removal built into their minion shells. It’s likely that Gaia goes somewhere, though we do have some doubts about its usefulness in either role due to its expensive cost.
Score: 3
Final Thoughts
Voyage to the Sunken City Set Rank: 2nd
Overall Power Ranking: 3rd
Oh Jaina, Jaina… why must you always make a mockery of this mechanic we call ‘mana’?
Mage is looking strong, and at the center of it is Spitelash Siren. We suspect this card is going to make waves in a similar fashion to what Stealer of Souls has done, but perhaps in a less offensive manner, while allowing for some counterplay. Mage will not be able to OTK the opponent upon entrance and will have to figure out a proper win condition to leverage with Siren, especially in slower matchups.
What Siren can certainly do is blow out the opponent through the board along with her Naga friends. Based on her art, we speculate Siren was initially meant to refresh mana based on casting spells from different schools. If that’s true, then the move to require her to rely on minions was a very good one.
But Mage has other things to do. Mech Mage looks cute. We’re not sure it’s going to be competitive, mostly because of the quality of the mech pool, but if it works it will be thanks to the power of Mecha-Shark and Seafloor Gateway. The combination of these two can enable board comebacks or just a lot of face damage.
Then you’ve got some things that are a little more subtle. Watch out for Blizzard’s return to the core set. We suspect that’s going to help some strategies that rely on big spells along with Magister Dawngrasp and Wildfire. Grey Sage Parrot just got scarier. Kalecgos, Pyromaniac, Doomsayer and Acolyte of Pain could also make some noise on that front.
If you like Nagas, then this is the class for you.
